Starling problem

[DDRanch]

Recently I have had a flock of starlings raiding my coop and eating the chicken food...I mean a lot of the food. My outdoor pen wire for the covered run is large enough for the birds to enter, and then they are in the doors in the coop and out with the food. Looks like a freeway for birds.

I have kept the hens cooped up in the coop itself for a few days and the starlings eventually left but the downside was that the hens couldn't be out, even in the covered run. And, the starlings have now come back.

What can I do to discourage these birds BESIDES shooting or kiling them. I just can't do that.

Thank you for your ideas.

 

[aart]

I've read of folks putting strips of thick plastic over the coop door, the chickens learn how to go thru them but the pest birds can't. Or you could put chicken wire over the run so other birds can't get in.

Have you tried a search? Advanced search> titles only starlings

 

[4 the Birds]

+1
Chicken wire or add netting on the run fencing so they can't gain access. It will save you a lot of headaches and you can open up doors and large vents in the run side of the coop.